Caladium plant named ‘RSL 2321-469’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘RSL 2321-469’, characterized by its intermediate height; upright and mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; lance-type leaves that are light green variably flushed with greyed red in color; and petioles that are greyed green in color with darker-colored tessellations.

Botanical designation: Caladium X hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RSL 2321-469’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RSL 2321-469’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2010 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida Red Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,136, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘Creamsickle’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,991, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. in September, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by “chipping” the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RSL 2321-469’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RSL 2321-469’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate in height and upright and mounding plant habit;         dense and bushy appearance.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Lance-type leaves that are light green variably flushed with         greyed red in color.     -   4. Petioles that are greyed green in color with darker-colored         tessellations.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Red Ruffles’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium grow faster than plants of         ‘Florida Red Ruffles’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ differ         in leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are light green         variably flushed with greyed red in color whereas leaves of         ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ have dark red-colored venation and         interveinal areas and green-colored borders.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ differ         in leaf petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are greyed         green in color with darker-colored tessellations whereas         petioles of ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ are black in color with         pinkish tan-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Creamsickle’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium more mounding than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Creamsickle’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Creamsickle’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of the new Caladium are light green variably         flushed with greyed red in color whereas leaves of ‘Creamsickle’         have greyed green-colored venation and greyed green and greyed         purple-colored interveinal areas interspersed with dark         green-colored sectors and borders.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Desert Sunset’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,421. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Desert Sunset’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are denser and bushier than plants         of ‘Desert Sunset’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Desert Sunset’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of the new Caladium are light green variably         flushed with greyed red in color whereas leaves of ‘Desert         Sunset’ are bronze salmon pink in color with darker-colored         venation.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Desert Sunset’ differ in leaf         petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are greyed green         in color with darker-colored tessellations whereas petioles of         ‘Desert Sunset’ are greenish tan with darker-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Chinook’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,094. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Chinook’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Chinook’ differ in leaf color         as leaves of the new Caladium are light green variably flushed         with greyed red in color whereas leaves of ‘Chinook’ are medium         green in color flushed with salmon pink and dark pink-colored         venation.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Chinook’ differ in leaf         petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are greyed green         in color with darker-colored tessellations whereas petioles of         ‘Chinook’ are greenish tan tinged with pink and with darker         greenish brown-colored streaks, stipples and stripes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘RSL 2321-469’ in a container and grown in a shadehouse (tuber de-eyed).

The photograph on the second sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘RSL 2321-469’ in a container and grown in a shadehouse (tuber not de-eyed).

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ (left), ‘RSL 2321-469’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Creamsickle’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Desert Sunset’ (left), ‘RSL 2321-469’ (center) and ‘Chinook’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘RSL 2321-469’ grown in containers; the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers with roots and leaf petioles of ‘RSL 2321-469’.

The photograph on the fifth sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘RSL 2321-469’ grown in an open production field.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shadehouse-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shadehouse were eight weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were 7.5 months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium X hortulanum ‘RSL 2321-469’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida Red             Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,136.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum             ‘Creamsickle’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,991. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             irregular in shape. Height: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About             4.9 cm to 8.4 cm. Segment height: About 2.3 cm to 3 cm.             Segment diameter: About 2 cm to 3.2 cm. Axillary bud size:             About 5 mm by 5 mm. Texture: Thick, starchy; somewhat             brittle. Color: Epidermis, freshly-harvested: Close to 158D.             Epidermis, dried: Close to 200A. Cortical tissue: Close to             155B and 1D. Axillary buds: Close to N155C and N155D. Root             description: Thick, fleshy contractile roots with few             lateral branches; color, close to 155C. Rooting habit:             Dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate in height and upright             to mounded plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous             growth habit and rapid growth rate; potted plants finish in             saleable form in about six to seven weeks after planting             tubers; leaf petioles and leaves arise from one or more             growing points on tubers; leaf petioles initially upright             and outwardly leaning with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 29 cm to 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 34 cm to 45 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About three to four develop per #1             tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About four to six develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About 5             cm to 12.7 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 1.4 cm. Shape:             Wedge-shaped or elongated elliptic. Apex: Acute to             acuminate. Base: Sheathing the stem. Color, inner surface:             Close to N155D; colors and patterns on the outer surface are             visible on the inner surface. Color, outer surface: Close to             N170D and 36D densely streaked and stippled with close to             147A; with development, color becoming closer to N199D. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; lance-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 16.5 cm to 23             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 8.5 cm to 12             cm; when flattened, about 10 cm to 13.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Sagittate to peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; wavy with broad undulations.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; dull sheen.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Background color: Close to             147D and 146D variably and heavily flushed with close to             181B, 181C and 181D; with development, colored sectors             becoming closer to 147B, between 147B to 146B and 146A             and/or variably mottled and flushed with close to 178A,             178B, 181B, 183B tinged with close to 177B. Towards the             margins: Close to 147B to 147C flushed with close to 181C.             Leaf edge: Close to 183A; with development, color becoming             closer to 183A to 183B. Basal notch: Close to 185A; with             development, color becoming closer to 183A and 187A. Leaf             attachment point: Close to 183A. Midvein: Close to 194A             flushed with close to 178A with streaks and flecks, close to             181A; with development, color becoming closer to 159C to             159D with flecks and streaks, close to 183A tinged with             close to 177A, surrounding the midvein, close to 183A.             Primary venation: Close to 178A surrounded by close to 181A;             with development, color becoming closer to 147A and 147B             tinged with close to 146B variably flushed with close to             183A tinged with close to 177A and/or close to 187A tinged             with close to 177A. Interveinal areas: Close to 147D and             146D variably and heavily flushed with close to 181B, 181C             and 181D; with development, colored sectors becoming closer             to 147B, between 147B to 146B and 146A and/or variably             mottled and flushed with close to 178A, 178B, 181B, 183B             tinged with close to 177B. Developing and fully developed             leaves, lower surface: Background color: Close to 194A and             194B; with development, close to 147B to 147C tinged with             close to 182B to 182C. Leaf edge: Close to 183A to 183B.             Basal notch: Close to 183A. Leaf attachment point: Close to             187C to 187D. Midvein: Close to 194B. Primary venation:             Close to 147C to 147D. Interveinal areas: Close to 194A and             194B; with development, close to 147B to 147C tinged with             close to 182B to 182C.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight and             outwardly leaning with development; flexible. Length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 18 cm to 30.4 cm.             Diameter, distally, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About             2.5 mm to 4 mm. Diameter, proximally, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; distally, glaucous. Color, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: When developing and fully developed: Close to 195A,             195B and 159C tinged with close to N170D with faint             stipples, streaks and tessellations of close to 147B and             147C tinged with close to 199B. Wing length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 4.7 cm to 5.5 cm. Wing             diameter, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 8 mm.             Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; dull. Wing color, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             Inner surface: Close to N155D; colors and patterns on the             outer surface are visible on the inner surface. Outer             surface: Close to 159C, stippled, streaked and tessellated             with close to 147B. -   Inflorescence description: To date, inflorescence development has     not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot and above     average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler     zones, tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a     cool dry environment to overwinter for re-planting the following     spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘RSL 2321-469’ as illustrated and described. 